Pair held without bail in Worcester armed robberies

WORCESTER — Two men accused of creating a mini crime wave — allegedly robbing a cluster of supermarkets and other stores in the city and nearby towns — were held without bail Wednesday in court.

Authorities also revealed today that Jonathan Tufts-Raymond of Worcester is accused of robbing Citizens Bank inside the Shrewsbury Stop & Shop grocery store on Nov. 20. That armed robbery charge is awaiting the 25-year-old in Westboro District Court.

Mr. Tuft-Raymond and his alleged wheelman in several of the robberies, Krystian Gubernat, 23, of Worcester and Connecticut, were caught by state and local police during a massive manhunt in Spencer Tuesday and have been linked to a robbery in Sturbridge.

A third man was also caught during the search, Barry Hanson, 29, of Spencer was brought to a Worcester court on a warrant. He apparently owed money in a court case.

Mr. Gubernat and Mr. Tufts-Raymond were arraigned in Central District Court on five counts of armed robbery and one count of attempting to commit a crime. Bail for both in pending court cases was revoked.

According to a prosecutor, Mr. Gubernat told investigators he drove Mr. Tufts-Raymond to several places in Worcester. Mr. Tufts-Raymond would rob the stores with a handgun, and his driver got cash in return, authorities allege.

The supermarket robberies started Oct. 30 at the Price Chopper on Park Avenue (Route 12) in Worcester. The Stop & Shop at 940 West Boylston St. (Route 12), Worcester, was robbed the next day. Police said the two men robbed two different Shaw's supermarkets on Nov. 3 and Nov. 9.

Authorities allege that the same day the men robbed the Shrewsbury supermarket, they also robbed a store on Grafton Street (Route 122) in Worcester. Mr. Gubernat allegedly was the driver in that case as well, with Mr. Tufts-Raymond accused of stealing cash.

The two men are also accused of trying to rob a Worcester credit union earlier this week, but were not able to get any money.

The bail for Mr. Tufts-Raymond in the new Worcester cases was set at a total of $15,000. Mr. Gubernat's bail for the same cases was set at a total of $6,000. Both are to return to court Dec. 27.